Former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan on Saturday denied an assertion from his former player and fellow Hall of Famer Karl Malone that Sloan was forced out last year as Utah’s head coach by the Miller family, the primary owners of the team.

“I would like to set the record straight regarding my retirement from the Utah Jazz,” Sloan said in a statement released Saturday. “I had the unwavering support of the Miller family during my 23 seasons as head coach and I left on my own volition. It is not true that the Millers undermined my authority as head coach. I had their complete backing to run the team as I wished and was assured that no player could ever overrule my decisions.

“The Millers encouraged me to stay with the team and gave me multiple opportunities to do so. They felt strongly that I should wait at least until the end of the season to resign and did everything they could to keep me coaching.

Malone had told the Salt Lake Tribune last week that he thought Jazz owner Greg Miller and general manager Kevin O’Connor had undermined Sloan’s authority with the team up to the point when he resigned last February. At the time, Sloan denied that the reason he left was a rift with star guard Deron Williams, who was subsequently traded to the Nets.

“On the whole handling of that, I would have to give [them] a D or F, and I would lean more toward an F,” Malone told the paper.

Sloan said he did not want to make any further statements regarding the details of his departure from the Jazz.

“It is time for me and my family to move on and I ask that the media respect my wishes and respect the integrity of the Miller family and all that they have done for the Utah Jazz and this community,” he said in the statement.

13 Comments

23 years hahaha jerry did not won a ring because of JORDAN. and when Jordan era end then TWIN TOWER was Build so Kobe and Shaq and the Mo Town has arrive how could sloan win…. because sloan has loyalty on Utah even the roster is not good…if Jerry Sloan Coaches Lebron on Cavs maybe he won a ring… Mike Brown is total mess he just won Coach of the year because of Lebron hahahaha

Jerry needs to change his old school, in your face, style and may be he’ll be able to go somewhere else and be successful again. These stories of Sloan getting in to it with his players and him having to be restrained is the absolute height of unprofessionalism on Sloan’s part. One has to wonder when that kind of behavior is seen coming from the coach, has Jerry fallen off of the wagon.

wish the Kings could convince coach Sloan to coach Tyreke and Demarcus. even if they wont be in Sac next year. Those kids are really talented and need someone they have to respect and will argue with them to no ends if they get too full of themselves.

I wouldn’t blame Jerry if he didn’t win a title. He faced the greatest player in basketball, a hall of famer and probably the greatest coach ever. Good thing they even made it close. Jerry did a good job for the Utah Jazz.

Yes because Jerry Sloan just up and decided to quit in the middle of a basketball season where there was turmoil with his point guard. He’s only coached the same team 23 years in a row, of course he just quits right in the middle of one rough season. This is all sarcasm. Don’t believe a word Sloan says. He’s just an old-school professional where you don’t say anything bad whether or not it is the truth. He was forced out.

Sloan couldn’t win a chip with Malone and Stockton and he sure as hell wasn’t good enough to lead D Will and his then Jazz to a chip either. Sure, he did great for the city of Salt Lake, but WHAT exactly did he do that was so great? Nothing. In my opinion, Sloan should have retired sooner and/or should have let D Will run the offense more without always falling back on the antiquated Pick and Roll.

TyCo is doing an amazing job right now. Letting the guys have fun and play ball and I think this is what the team needed. A new, fresh person to run the team. I am very greatful for Coach Sloan, but people need to quit acting like he was the greatest thing that ever happened to Utah as far as coach is concerned. Our team really has never had the chance to get a fresh coach in there to see what we were lacking.

GO JAZZ !! And to anyone who disagrees with me, *dusting off shoulder”……

too sad to say that Sloan retires without a ring..as great coach as he is, he deserves one…but better leave if you saw that coaching could kill you.. the disappointment of the Jazz is making his heart ache every night…you know who to blame…

I can’t believe Kelley Dyer posted some comment that was made a year ago, that has proven to be false just to stir up a story. Karl Malone has always been difficult to deal with for the Jazz. He came in after Jerry left and said a bunch of things he had no right saying not even knowing the situation and accused the Jazz of doing things he had no right doing. The ESA is given orders to allow stockton and malone access through the VIP entrance ANY time they want no questions asked. Him having to “buy a ticket from a scalper” was him not using his head. He didn’t even call Greg Miller to say “hey I’m in Utah I’d like to come to the game tonight” John Stockton did and guess where John was? COURTSIDE at the same game Karl was. Karl has been a pain and a moron since college. Jerry quit DURING HALFTIME of the game because he couldn’t deal with Deron Williams undermining him, not because the Jazz forced him out. People who say the Jazz chose D-will over Jerry…..WHY DID THE JAZZ TRADE DERON after Jerry left? It was because he became a cancer in the lockerroom, to the players and the staff. He drug everyone down, was abusive and the Jazz wouldn’t stand for it after what he did to Jerry. I feel bad that the Jazz have to go through this, they have a hard time as it is getting respect.